The Lieutenant Governor must act harmoniously with the Delhi government and must not be obstructionist, the Supreme Court has ruled.

In what Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) called a “restoration of democracy”, the court also said the Lt Governor and the council of ministers must attempt to settle any matter by discussion.

Reading out the verdict in a long-running power tussle between the Delhi government and the Lt Governor, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said: “Obeying the constitution is everybody’s duty and responsibility.”

The relationship between Centre and the state government should be healthy, Chief Justice Misra said.